French billionaire facing charges after bribery probe


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Billionaire Vincent Bollore was charged by French investigators as part of a probe into the possible use of bribes in two African countries to obtain port contracts from public officials, according to a statement from his company.


The charges stem from a case focusing on suspicions of foul play when Bollore SA was awarded contracts to operate container terminals in Lome, Togo, and Conakry, Guinea.


Charged: French billionaire Vincent Bollore.

Charged: French billionaire Vincent Bollore.


Photo: AP

Bollore “remains presumed innocent” as the investigation continues, according to the statement. In France, charges are announced prior to any decision on whether to refer the case to trial and can be dropped later. The move allows his defense team to have access to the case files underpinning the allegations, which they haven’t seen so far, and “have the opportunity to answer these unfounded accusations,” according to the statement.


Investigating judges suspect that managers of Bollore SA used advertising company Havas – previously known as Euro RSCG – to facilitate the elections of presidents Alpha Conde in Guinea and Faure Gnassingbe in Togo nearly a decade ago by providing communications advice at a discount price, according to a person with knowledge of the case. At the time of the events in 2010, Bollore was Havas’s controlling shareholder.


The charges are a sign that French authorities are stepping up their prosecution of international corruption cases. Investigators have other big-ticket cases in the pipeline. They are probing Societe Generale SA over allegations of bribery related to the bank’s work with the Libyan Investment Authority, while Airbus SE reportedly risks a fine in excess of $US1 billion ($1.3 billion) in a case also run by UK watchdogs.


Article source: http://watoday.com.au/sport/boxing/sun-shines-on-jeff-horn-as-he-stuns-manny-pacquiao--and-the-boxing-world-20170702-gx2vxu.html

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